@Mictorrani 6 August 2021

Dictionary of Selected Spices + A Little Story

*14 spices in 10 languages & a little story about Turmeric, teaching us that a foreign language is not always easy.* Since many readers do not have English as their first language, and I have recently written about spices, it is justified to add a supplement with a list of names of selected spices in some major languages. There is no doubt that it could be very useful, as this little story illustrates. The first time I thought of this problem was some years ago when someone in Egypt who had read what I had written about turmeric in my magazine, wrote back to me and asked where to find it: "It is not available in Egypt." "How strange", I replied, "I have spent much time in Egypt and it has always been easy to find. Where in Egypt do you live?" It was Cairo, and I explained exactly where to find it. The dried powder as well as fresh. A time later came another email, "I cannot find it." Then it occurred to me that this email exchange took place in English and perhaps this person did not know what turmeric was, so I wrote: "Do you know what turmeric is? In Arabic it is called *korkom* [كركم]." That solved everything! "Ah, is it *korkom!* We have it in the kitchen, we always have that at home." List of 14 Spices in 10 Languages **English: turmeric** Arabic: كركم Chinese (simplified): 姜黄 Chinese (traditional): 薑黃 French: Safran des Indes German: Kurkuma Hindi: हल्दी Japanese: ターメリック Korean: 심황 Russian: куркума Spanish: cúrcuma **English: ginger** Arabic: زنجبيل Chinese (simplified): 生姜 Chinese (traditional): 生薑 French: gingembre German: Ingwer Hindi: अदरक Japanese: ショウガ Korean: 생강 Russian: имбирь Spanish: jengibre **English: cumin** Arabic: كمون Chinese (simplified): 小茴香 Chinese (traditional): 小茴香 French: cumin German: Kreuzkümmel Hindi: जीरा Japanese: クミン Korean: 커민 Russian: тмин Spanish: comino **English: fennel** Arabic: الشمرة Chinese (simplified): 茴香 Chinese (traditional): 茴香 French: fenouil German: Fenchel Hindi: सौंफ Japanese: フェンネル Korean: 회향 Russian: укроп Spanish: hinojo **English: saffron** Arabic: زعفران Chinese (simplified): 藏红花a Chinese (traditional): 藏紅花 French: Safran German: Safran Hindi: केसर Japanese: サフラン Korean: 사프란 Russian: шафран Spanish: azafrán **English: vanilla** Arabic: فانيلا Chinese (simplified): 香草 Chinese (traditional): 香草 French: vanille German: Vanille Hindi: वनीला Japanese: バニラ Korean: 바닐라 Russian: ваниль Spanish: vainilla **English: cardamom** Arabic: حب الهال Chinese (simplified): 豆蔻果实 Chinese (traditional): 荳蔻果實 French: cardamome German: Kardamom Hindi: इलायची Japanese: カルダモン Korean: 카다몬 Russian: кардамон Spanish: cardamomo **English: cinnamon** Arabic: قرفة Chinese (simplified): 肉桂 Chinese (traditional): 肉桂 French: cannelle German: Zimt Hindi: दालचीनी Japanese: シナモン Korean: 시나몬 Russian: корица Spanish: canela **English: nutmeg** Arabic: جوزة الطيب Chinese (simplified): 肉豆蔻 Chinese (traditional): 肉荳蔻 French: Noix de muscade German: Muskatnuss Hindi: जायफल Japanese: ナツメグ Korean: 육두구 Russian: мускатный орех Spanish: nuez moscada **English: clove** Arabic: القرنفل Chinese (simplified): 丁香 Chinese (traditional): 丁香 French: Clou de girofle German: Nelke Hindi: लौंग Japanese: クローブ Korean: 정향 Russian: гвоздика Spanish: clavo **English: pepper** Arabic: فلفل Chinese (simplified): 胡椒 Chinese (traditional): 胡椒 French: poivre German: Pfeffer Hindi: मिर्च Japanese: コショウ Korean: 후추 Russian: перец Spanish: pimienta **English: rosemary** Arabic: إكليل الجبل Chinese (simplified): 迷迭香 Chinese (traditional): 迷迭香 French: Romarin German: Rosmarin Hindi: रोजमैरी Japanese: ローズマリー Korean: 로즈마리 Russian: Розмари Spanish: Romero **English: thyme** Arabic: زعتر Chinese (simplified): 百里香 Chinese (traditional): 百里香 French: thym German: Thymian Hindi: अजवायन के फूल Japanese: タイム Korean: 백리향 Russian: тимьян Spanish: tomillo **English: coriander** Arabic: كزبرة Chinese (simplified): 香菜 Chinese (traditional): 香菜 French: coriandre German: Koriander Hindi: धनिया Japanese: コリアンダー Korean: 고수풀 Russian: кориандр Spanish: cilantro This dictionary might be revised, updated, changed or extended at any time. Articles about spices: The King & Queen of Spices: Turmeric & Ginger https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-king-queen-of-spices-turmeric-ginger-d697e39f Spices & Health: Cumin, Anise, Star Anise, and Fennel https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/spices-health-cumin-anise-star-anise-and-fennel-00c1196d Fenugreek, Lactation & Male Libido https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/fenugreek-lactation-male-libido-eb592497 The Three Most Expensive Spices https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-most-expensive-spices-24717e1d More Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Pepper https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/more-spices-cinnamon-nutmeg-clove-pepper-1f18e180 Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. Here you find my articles related to spices & herbs, and to health & medicine. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#spices-amp-herbs https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19 Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34 *My 3 most recent articles:* *Medicine, Modern Superstition & Flawed Paradigms* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/medicine-modern-superstition-flawed-paradigms-7fba6b65 *Another Three Spices: Aphrodite's Birth, Smoke & King Minos' Daughter* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/another-three-spices-aphrodites-birth-smoke-king-minos-daughter-8d15a193 *More Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Pepper* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/more-spices-cinnamon-nutmeg-clove-pepper-1f18e180